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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Ok so Minnie again.. a bit of personal research, can you help?

109 replies

mrswee · 01/07/2012 08:45

So I was horrified when I read on here that Minnie is also a name for ladygarden.... I've never heard of this nor have any or my friends.

I live in Scotland and although not a popular name it is a traditional scottish name and it appears a few times in my family tree so I had concidered it if my next is a DD.. then I saw the horror on here.

What I'd really like to know is how wide spread is this meaning..

So can I ask if you personaly know the word Minnie as a lady garden or not and state what area you are from? ie scotland/north east or west/ wales/ south east or west, midlands ect.

I'll start

Thanks in advance!

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daisylou79 · 03/07/2012 22:40

So weird that this thread has popped up now. Have been having this debate tonight with DH.

Our four month old DD was originally Minnie. Partly due to being an old family name but mainly because we just loved it. To us it was feminine, sweet and a bit different.

We announced it to a mixed reaction, received Disney themed comments and gifts....and then I randomly looked it up on mumsnet and sat there open mouthed in horror at the awful threads about it. Talk about mortified.

We opted to put a longer more formal name on the birth certificate - something that Minnie can be short for, at a push. We still call her Minnie as a pet name, as do family and friends. But I am considering trying to phase it out altogether as am so terrified of her being bullied in the future.

The worry of it has driven me a bit insane but I think hormones could be partly to blame. My DH thinks I've gone mad to be so worried but school is hard enough without being picked on for your name. Her formal name is different enough for no one to connect it to Minnie.

So annoying about the euphemism thing though as I still think Minnie is a beautiful name. Why can't people use a sensible name for their nethers...like fou fou for instance?!?

Ho hum.

fergoose · 03/07/2012 21:02

But Minnie doesn't mean small, Mini yes, but Minnie no. Minnie is an old name, hence the name of Minnie Mouse. My daughter has never had any comments about lady's bits in relation to her name.

MrClaypole · 03/07/2012 21:00

Good point Number.

There was a girl at my school called Bonnie - she was not at all bonny and got a fair bit of teasing Sad.

hackneyzoo · 03/07/2012 20:57

I have recently moved from east London and never heard anyone using Minnie for ladygarden there, am now in Newcastle and am yet to come accross anyone using this for fanjo!
Think its a great name.

Number44 · 03/07/2012 20:56

I would also add a new note of caution, prompted by a friends DS who is called beau

Giving a child a 'descriptive' name is a bit brave in case they grow up and quite fit

Beau is a lovely child but beautiful he ain't. This may change but is unlikely

What if Minnie grows up and is actually Maxi. Would that matter?

Mmmmmmmmmm · 03/07/2012 20:55

Minnie, yes lady garden here in north wales.

MrClaypole · 03/07/2012 20:52

MInnie is definitely a fanjo here (Herts/London)

Sorry about that!

Noggie · 03/07/2012 20:41

Never heard of that reference...I really like 'Minnie'. Scotland

DialMforMummy · 03/07/2012 20:34

Love the name, no thoughts about lady garden here. (South east, Berkshire)

LetsKateWin · 03/07/2012 19:49

I live in London and have only heard of Minnie as a girls' name

3bees · 03/07/2012 19:42

Not heard it (Yorkshire). I wouldn't think about it too much - use the name if you love it. You could choose a different name then someone turns that into a euphemism - you can't second guess.

SilverSky · 03/07/2012 16:27

Minnie - deffo fanjo. I'm in the South East.

SLVC · 02/07/2012 22:55

I live just outside London and the first time I heard someone refer to it as a Minnie was when I was about 30.. I honestly thought it was a name they had made up themselves, as had not ever come across it before.. Daft name for your bits if you ask me..

twizzlestix · 02/07/2012 20:43

Yep it means lady garden in my area, just outside London

thegreylady · 02/07/2012 17:39

I'm from NE and it suggests female genitalia to me too I'm afraid though not a word I used myself-it reminds me of Minnie Caldwell from early Coronation Street too.

weasar · 02/07/2012 16:27

I'm from the east midlands and we do use the term Minnie for girls parts here!
FWIW I like Minnie!

ilovemybum · 02/07/2012 15:34

Minnie is used as a term for lady garden down South

TuesdayNightClub · 01/07/2012 20:16

I've only ever heard of this on MN and I'm in Scotland. It's not in the sme league as Fanny, that's for sure.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 01/07/2012 18:20

I have heard it used for girls parts (south)

Could you go with Minerva and use Min/Minnie as a nn?

slovenlydotcom · 01/07/2012 18:17

I think Minnie is a lovely lovely name. You can bring up to pour scorn on people who are unable to refer to parts of the body by the correct name!!

PinkChampagneandStrawberries · 01/07/2012 18:14

I don't think it's from here it might have been from tv TOWIE probably Blush

mumeuro · 01/07/2012 17:25

Minnie was the name of a great aunt and her mother (both Minnie Flora, in fact). They were from Kent and born in the 1870s and 1900s respectively.

Original poster
mrswee · 01/07/2012 17:20

VivianDarkbloom I think you are right about the lady garden thing..oh well you know what I mean!

I'm not keen on mimi as an alternitive... it a bit to like Me me, it's all about me!

OP posts:
BardOfBarking · 01/07/2012 17:18

Yes in SW LOndon, not by me though [shudder emoticon]

DottieRose · 01/07/2012 17:11

Cute name....never heard of the lady garden association I'm in Ireland though!!